


Paramount

by yunmin



Category: Star Wars (Marvel Comics)
Genre: Developing Relationship, F/M, Pilots, Power Dynamics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-15
Updated: 2019-09-15
Packaged: 2020-10-19 08:00:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20653835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yunmin/pseuds/yunmin
Summary: Leia meant what she said. Wedge Antilles was the best pilot she—and the Rebellion—had.A missing scene from the Star Wars (2013) comic.





	Paramount

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place immediately after [this scene from the comics](https://drinkupthesunrise.tumblr.com/post/187737091291/a-long-long-time-ago-i-wrote-a-little-snippet-of), and may make little sense without it. If you haven’t read the 2013 Star Wars comic, it’s a completely and utterly ridiculous romp set post-Battle of Yavin in which Leia is leading a starfighter squadron which Wedge and Luke are part of.

Leia can feel the weariness settle into her bones as she leaves her makeshift office. She hadn’t thought that commanding a Starfighter Squadron would ever be this taxing. She’s still not entirely sure how she ended up doing it.

In the corridor outside, Wedge Antilles is waiting for her, back leant against the wall as he scribbles something down on a piece of flimsi. He curses under his breath as he tries to work it out.

“Anything I can help with?” Leia asks.

“It’s just trying to balance this exercise, nothing a little time and thought won’t fix.” Wedge folds the flimsi up and tucks it in his front flightsuit pocket. “How did your talk with Luke go?”

“He’s grounded for the next six rotations.”

Wedge raises an eyebrow. “That explains why he looked so pissed off when he left earlier.”

“I saw the look you gave him when he landed with Prithi. What he did was foolish and reckless, and he needs to learn that he can’t just do whatever he chooses. Orders are orders.”

Wedge nods. “I understand that. Still. It’ll compromise us—he’s our best pilot.”

Leia lets out a strangled laugh. “That was his defence.”

“It’s the truth.”

Leia shakes her head. “He’s not.” She turns to look at Wedge. His brow is furrowed in confusion. “You’re my best pilot, Wedge.”

It’s his turn to laugh. “No I’m not.” He waves her off with a denial, looking suddenly awkward in his skin. She chose Wedge as her second because he wasn’t a typical pilot jock, the x-wing ace who was only out for their own glory. He’s quiet and conscientious and unassuming, but for as long as Leia’s known him—he’s always been confident.

Now, she can see a vulnerability to him. It hides in his eyes, pain that flashes across his expression. Leia wonders how much he’s still hurting from the Battle of Yavin. There had been a couple of nasty rumours floating about, words spoken of Wedge’s apparent cowardice at pulling out of the trench. Those who spread them had a nasty habit of being transferred to the worst of the Rebellion’s bases. Leia wouldn’t stand for it.

“You are.” He ducks his head and turns away. Leia leans over, a simple hand to his shoulder. “Wedge, I’d rather have you guarding my back than anyone in the squadron. I know I can trust you. You fly as well as anyone I’ve ever known. And you work so damn hard. Look at you, spending your free-time working on exercises to help keep our pilots safe.” Leia lifts her hand. Two of her fingers trace the edge of Wedge’s jaw. She turns his head back to face her. A blush colours his cheeks, his eyes still wary with disbelief. “You are my best pilot. You have earned that honour a thousand times over.”

He’s taller than her. Not by as much as most are—he’s below average height—but he is. He tilts his head downwards, expression quizzical, trying to work out just how much Leia means what she is saying.

“I’m not so sure about that,” he says. He tries to say it lightly, with a laugh, but Leia can hear the nervousness in his voice.

She steps closer to him. “I am,” she replies, looking him straight in the eye. Wedge has nice eyes. They don't draw the eye like Luke's bright blue ones do, but there's a beauty to them. In the dim light of the corridor, they almost look green, though Leia knows from Wedge’s file that they are brown. He holds her gaze, still a little unsteady. “I’m sure,” she says, into the silence that’s built up around them, wanting him to know about how certain she is of this, that it wasn't just something she said to make Luke think.

Wedge is her best pilot, and she’d choose him above any man she knows.

She takes in the rest of his face. His jaw is sharp. The slightest hint of an evening-shadow is present. His lower lip is flushed red from where he’s biting it. He’s an attractive man, she notes, wondering why on earth she hasn't noticed that before.

“You’re the boss,” he says, and his warm breath ghosts over her lips, they’re standing so close together. “Must be true if you say it is.”

Something between them breaks, snapping like an only part woven thread. Leia takes a step back. She’s his commander. It’s her job to be in charge. She can't—she can’t get caught up in someone like this.

“You are my best pilot,” she reiterates. “And it’s my job to worry about what we’ll do without Luke for the time being.”

“Yes ma’am.” Wedge brings two fingers to his temple in a simple salute, jauntily gesturing in a way that he must have picked up from elsewhere, and then his back is turned and he’s walking down the corridor. Leia doesn't have the chance to tell him that he doesn't need to salute, or call her ma’am.

Next time. She’ll do it next time.


End file.
